old soldier
Grizzled military veteran
An old soldier is a veteran of military service, especially one with long experience: The old soldiers gathered at the memorial.
The phrase also describes someone seasoned by experience in any field.
An old soldier's disease was 19th-century slang for morphine addiction, common among Civil War veterans.
To never die like an old soldier means to fade gradually from prominence rather than disappear suddenly.
Stored past experiences
- nostalgiaLonging for the past
- war storiesNarratives of military experience
- flashbacksInvoluntary vivid memory episodes
- anecdotesBrief amusing accounts
recollections · yarns · tales · memoirs · bygone · chronicles · reverie · campfire tales
One skilled in combat
- veteranExperienced former soldier
- woundsBodily tissue damage
- scarsHealed wound tissue
- medalsAwards for achievement
valor · bravery · courage · frontline · trenches · infantry · survivor · conflict
Mid-level military rank
- lieutenantJunior commissioned officer
- colonelSenior military officer
- generalWidespread, not specialized
- captainOne who commands
corporal · major · commander · officer · enlisted · decorated · stripes · insignia
memories
Stored past experiences
- nostalgiaLonging for the past
- war storiesNarratives of military experience
- flashbacksInvoluntary vivid memory episodes
anecdotes · recollections · yarns · tales · memoirs · bygone · chronicles · reverie · campfire tales · reunions
warrior
One skilled in combat
medals · valor · bravery · courage · frontline · trenches · infantry · survivor · conflict · siege
sergeant
Mid-level military rank
- lieutenantJunior commissioned officer
- colonelSenior military officer
- generalWidespread, not specialized
captain · corporal · major · commander · officer · enlisted · decorated · stripes · insignia · uniform
resilience
Capacity to recover quickly
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- perseveranceSustained resolve despite obstacles
- gritDetermination or abrasive particles
tenacity · toughness · steadfastness · survival · stoicism · mettle · weathered · hardened · seasoned · battle-tested
old soldiernew recruit
Recently enlisted person
raw recruit · recruit · rookie · cadet · greenhorn